Mop handle snap connector



MaICh 1956 A. L. LE FEBVRE ET AL 2,736,915

MOP HANDLE SNAP CONNECTOR Filed June 7, 1954 INVENTOR. JJe/ /MW BY 72m United States Patent 2,736,915 MOP SNAP coNNECToR Alfred L. Le Febvre, wesrsumla, and Douglas M. Small, Springfield, Mass., as'sigimrs to Stanley Home Products, ,In'c., Westfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 7, 1954,.S.erial Na. 434,880 2 Claims. (Cl. 15:14?

Our invention relates to new anduseful improvements in a snap connector of the type used in combination with the end portion of a tubular handle and is directed more particularly to the provision of devices which are employed for attaching mops, brushes and similar cleaning utensils.

It is the principal object of our invention to provide a novel and improved construction of the type in which a mop or broom may be used in a manner so as to obtain the benefit of its full capacity and to reach comparatively inaccessible areas, as under or behind radiators, desks, of other articles of furniture and the like.

The invention relates to that class of cleaning utensils which are employed more particularly for brushing purposes and an object of our invention, among others, is the production of a mop or brush connection which is simple in construction, convenient for use, and especially efficient in the results obtained from such use.

All of the above objects we accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangements of parts thereof, as will fully appear by a perusal of the description below and by various specific features which will be hereinafter set forth.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of our invention as will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partial front elevational view of the device of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the snap connector of the invention shown in combination with a handle;

Fig. 4 is a partial side elevational view of a modified form of the handle shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 2.

In the above mentioned drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, we have shown but one embodiment of the invention which is deemed preferable but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made in various respects and within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the broad aspects and spirit of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures and referring more particularly to the preferred form of our invention selected for illustrative purposes, we have shown a pair of similar side members generally indicated by 10 and 10 formed from a resilient sheet metal.

Each member 10 has a half round upper neck portion 12. The opposed upper neck portions 12 and 12 are receivable in the lower end portion 14 of a tubular handle 16.

A notch 18 is provided in the inner edge of each upper neck portion 12 and when the members 10 and 10 are placed in adjacency as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 the notches 18 and 18 are aligned.

A projection 20 extending inwardly from or through the lower end portion 14 of the tubular handle 16 is receivable in the aligned notches 18 and 18 as shown in Fig. 2 so as to be retained therein and to insure against unwarranted .or undesired movements of the members It and 10 relative to the handle member 16.

That is to say, the lower end portion 14 of the tubular handle 16 provides a socket into which the neck portions 12 and 12 of the opposed members 10 and 10 are receivable and are secured therein by means of the projection 20.

It will be understood that if desired such projections may be provided on opposite sides of the handle member 16 and would be receivable in aligned slots .18 and 18 on opposite sides of the neck portions 12 and '12.

A side wall 36 depends downwardly from the respective neck portion 12 in the case of each member 10 in a manner wherein the side Wall is generally in the shape of a keystone as best shown in Fig. 1.

When in operating adjacency, the side walls of the members 10 and 1d are relatively spaced from one another and are formed at their lower ends so as to provide a transverse bar receiving groove 32 therebetween which is preferably rectangular in shape as best shown in Fig. 2.

The groove 32 has a transverse restricted throat 34 adjacent its lowermost area as shown in Fig. 2 with side portions 36 which diverge transversely outwardly away from the throat throughout the length thereof.

The side Walls 30 and 30 have portions 40 and 40 of opposite vertical edges thereof which are in contact with each as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and portions 42 and 42 intermediate said edges which are in spaced relation.

The members 10 and 10 are so formed as to provide a resilient means for releasably engaging a bar of a mop or the like as the same is introduced to the restricted throat 34. The members are momentarily spread sufilciently apart by the bar of the mop as to permit same to be passed therethrough and to be subsequently retained within the transverse bar receiving groove 32 where it is securely retained until the restricted throat is again widened sufliciently as to permit the withdrawal of the bar therethrough.

The opposite end of the handle member 16 may be provided with a grip portion 17 if desired.

The opposite end of the handle may be provided with curved end portion 16' such as shown in the modification of Fig. 4 wherein a grip portion 17 may be employed if desired.

Such a handle offers the advantage of being easily maneuverable. That is, the handle is swingable in different planes as may be desired.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with an end of a tubular handle of a device for rotatably and releasably holding the bar of a frame of a mop or the like comprising, a pair of similar unitary members formed from sheet metal to have elongated vertical neck portions and wall portions extending therefrom which are of greater transverse width than said neck portions, said neck portions being half tubular in transverse cross section with opposite vertical edges in abutment providing a tubular neck extending into the end of said handle, means securing said neck portion in said handle, said wall portions being channel shape in transverse cross section having opposite side edge portions thereof for abutment, lower portions of said walls being formed to provide an open ended bar receiving groove disposed transverseiy relative to the longitudinal axis of said neck and having an elongated restricted throat along the lower side of said groove, said members being yieldable at the juncture of the neck and wall portions thereof whereby said wall portions may be swung from a closed position wherein side edge portions thereof are in abutment and an open separated position wherein said restricted throat is widened for the insertion of a frame bar therethrough into and out of said groove.

2. The combination with an end of a tubular handle of a device for rotatably and releasably holding the bar of a frame of a. mop or the like comprising, a pair of similar unitary members formed from sheet metal to have elongated vertical neck portions and wall portions extending therefrom which are of greater transverse width than said neck portions, said neck portions being half tubular in transverse cross section with opposite vertical edges in abutment providing a tubular neck extending into the end of said handle, means securing said neck portion in said handle, said wall portions being channel shape in transverse cross section having opposite side edge portions thereof for abutment, lower portions of said walls being formed to provide an open ended bar receiving groove disposed transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of said neck and having an elongated restricted throat along the lower side of said groove, said members being yieldable at the juncture of the neck and wall portions thereof whereby said wall portions may be swung from a closed position wherein side edge portions thereof are in abutment and an open separated position wherein said restricted throat is widened for the insertion of a frame bar therethrough into and out of said groove, said walls having portions relatively diverging outwardly along said throat.

Preisser Jan. 4, 1938 Levin July 18, 1950 

